Book Club Potluck - Why Does Math Work?

Mark Hopkins will host our discussion of Why Does Math Work ... If It's Not Real? by Dragan Radulović. Mark suggested this book.

According to G. H. Hardy, the 'real' mathematics of the greats like Fermat and Euler is 'useless,' and thus the work of mathematicians should not be judged on its applicability to real-world problems. Yet, mysteriously, much of mathematics used in modern science and technology was derived from this 'useless' mathematics. Mobile phone technology is based on trig functions, which were invented centuries ago. Newton observed that the Earth's orbit is an ellipse, a curve discovered by ancient Greeks in their futile attempt to double the cube. It is like some magic hand had guided the ancient mathematicians so their formulas were perfectly fitted for the sophisticated technology of today. Using anecdotes and witty storytelling, this book explores that mystery. Through a series of fascinating stories of mathematical effectiveness, including Planck's discovery of quanta, mathematically curious readers will get a sense of how mathematicians develop their concepts.

Since we are always planning ahead, I've updated our reading poll for our future Meetups. To complete the survey, click on this link.

Anyone who is a member of this Meetup can submit a title for the survey. Just send me an email, and I'll add your selection. However, I will only include one title from each member. If you submitted a title last month, I've rolled it over into the new survey. If you want to change your recommendation, please let me know.

As always, it's essential that everyone who comes to the meeting reads the book in its entirety.

Happy reading!